Iowa County - Iowa State Association of Counties

The
Iowa
County
Get Out
There!
New County
Recreational
Opportunities
June 2006
The Iowa County
June 2006
1
Successfully managing public funds since 1987, we have made it our business to
understand the investment needs of public agencies.
We offer you peace of mind through:
Safety of principal
Liquidity of assets
Competitive rates
Your representatives on the IPAIT Board:
> Floyd Magnusson, Webster County Supervisor
> Robert Hagey, Sioux County Treasurer
> Dianne Kiefer, Wapello County Treasurer
Providing liquidity management through money
market and fixed-term investments:
> Diversified Fund
> Direct Government Obligations Fund (DGO)
> Fixed-Term Investments
Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust
Contact Ron Shortenhaus / 1-800-872-4024 / www.ipait.org
ISAC Sponsored. Investors Management Group, Investment Advisor
2
The Iowa County
June 2006
The Iowa County
June 2006 * Volume 35, Number 6
The Iowa County: The official magazine of the
Iowa State Association of Counties
501 SW 7th St., Ste. Q Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 244-7181 FAX (515) 244-6397
www.iowacounties.org
Denise Obrecht, EDITOR
Recreation in Iowa Counties
4-5
Capitol Comments
6
John Easter
Legal Briefs
7
David Vestal
Case Management
8
Linda Kemp
Technology Center
9
Tammy Norman & Robin Harlow
By the Numbers
10
Jay Syverson
Health Check
10
Sandy Longfellow
ISAC Brief
11-12
Counties in the Spotlight
13-14
NACo News
15
In Memory
15
Communication
16-17
Miscellaneous
18-19
Calendar of Events
23
ISAC members are elected and appointed county officials
from all 99 counties. The Iowa County (ISSN 0892-3795, USPS
0002-150) is published monthly by the Iowa State Association of Counties 501 SW 7th St., Ste. Q, Des Moines, IA 503094540. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA 50318.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Iowa County,
501 SW 7th St., Ste. Q, Des Moines, IA 50309-4540. Subscriptions: $25 per year.
ISAC OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Denise Dolan - Dubuque County Auditor
1ST VICE PRESIDENT
Kim Painter - Johnson County Recorder
2ND VICE PRESIDENT
Mike King - Union County Supervisor
3RD VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Anderson - Appanoose County Sheriff
ISAC DIRECTORS
Dale Hyman - Polk County Deputy Assessor
Pam Dettmann - First Assistant, Des Moines Co. Attorney
Linn Adams - Hardin County Community Services
Steve Lekwa - Story County Conservation Director
Deanna Bachman - Marshall Co. Emerg. Mgmt.
Robert Sperry - Story County Engineer
Mark Linda - Black Hawk Co. Environ. Health
Wayne Chizek - Marshall Co. Information Technology
Kathy Nicholls - Wright County Public Health Nurse
Lannie Miller - Palo Alto County Supervisor
Chuck Rieken - Cass County Supervisor
Lee Duin - Assistant Director, Polk County Treasurer
Les Beck - Linn County Zoning
Angela Connolly - Polk County Supervisor (Past Pres.)
Grant Veeder - Black Hawk County Auditor (NACo rep.)
Jane Halliburton - Story County Supervisor (NACo rep.)
ISAC STAFF
William R. Peterson - Executive Director
Lauren Adams - Financial Administrative Assistant
John Easter - Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
Deb Eckerman - Case Management Specialist
Robin Harlow - Technology Project Manager
Linda Hinton - Assistant Legal Counsel
Linda Kemp - Case Management Specialist
Sandy Longfellow - Administrative Assistant
Jerri Noboa - Meetings Administrator
Tammy Norman - Technology Services Coordinator
Denise Obrecht - Marketing/Comm. Coordinator
Jackie Olson Leech - Case Management Specialist
Jay Syverson - Fiscal Analyst
Angie Umbaugh - Receptionist
David Vestal - General Counsel
Dan Vonnahme - Case Management Specialist
Deborah Westvold - Case Management Director
ISAC’s Mission:
To promote effective and responsible county
government for the people of Iowa.
ISAC’s Vision:
To be the principal, authoritative source of
representation, information and services for and
about county government in Iowa.
The Iowa County
June 2006
3
feature
Get Out There! Recreation in Iowa Counties
I
owa offers countless ways to take advantage of its
outdoor beauty. Campgrounds across the state afford relaxing getaways and access to hundreds of miles
of hiking and biking trails. Rivers and lakes await
you with opportunities for boating and fishing.
Whether you prefer to get out your walking stick or
your golf clubs, Iowa’s counties offer great ways to
enjoy the great outdoors.
In the past 50 years, Iowa’s 99 county conservation boards have protected more than 160,000 acres
at 1,620 sites, delivered hands-on conservation education to thousands of school kids and adults, created
and maintained hundreds of public recreation areas,
and immeasurably increased local quality of life.
Iowa’s county conservation board (CCB) system
was created in 1955 when the state legislature authorized county citizens to vote to establish a county conservation board. However, the system’s roots date
back to at least the 1930s.
Today, each of Iowa’s 99 CCBs is governed by a
five-member board of citizens appointed by the
county board of supervisors. Under the conservation board’s direction, counties can acquire, develop
and maintain public preserves, parks, museums and
recreation areas.
“By their very nature, county conservation boards
are local programs,” says Don Brazelton, executive
director of the Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards. “Each board is governed by local citizens who develop programs and facilities to meet the
needs of their citizens and natural resources.”
Trails
The Iowa Trails Council now counts 58 trails in
Iowa that are located on former railroad rights-of-way.
The total mileage of these Iowa rail trails is just short
of 700 miles. Iowa had only three rail trails when the
Iowa Trails Council was founded in 1984 - the Heritage Trail, the Cedar Valley Nature Trail and the Cinder Path.
Proclaimed as the Upper Midwest’s most scenic
all-season trail, the Heritage Trail is maintained by
the Dubuque County Conservation Board. The 26mile trail runs from Dubuque to Dyersville. The Heritage Trail is one of Iowa’s first-rate rail trails, making
its way through the rugged, forested bluff country of
4
The Iowa County
June 2006
the Mississippi River valley from Dubuque on into the
prairie ridges to the west. This crushed-limestone trail is
one of the most popular in Iowa, and a complete network
of support services can be found in the towns along the
route.
The Cedar Valley Nature Trail is a 52-mile linear trail
running from Hiawatha to Evansdale. Five towns along
the route provide various services and points of interest.
The trail is jointly managed by the Linn and Black Hawk
County Conservation Boards. In 1977 several private
groups and government agencies worked together to purchase the former Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern
(WCF & N) railroad corridor. By 1982 the purchase was
completed and the Cedar Valley Nature Trail became a
reality. The trail originally connected Evansdale and
Hiawatha in what was, at the time, the longest trail in the
country connecting two metropolitan areas. Today the trail
has been extended to connect to trail systems in the greater
Cedar Rapids and Waterloo areas. The trail surface is
compacted limestone and asphalt. From prairie grasslands to woodlands to scenic stream and river crossings,
the trail traverses numerous habitats and provides abundant opportunities to view wildlife and wildflowers and
enjoy natural settings.
The Cinder Path Trail runs between Chariton in Lucas
County and Humeston in Wayne County. The 13.5-mile
limestone trail is Iowa’s oldest rails-to-trails conversion
trail, having been established by the Lucas County Conservation Board after the route was abandoned by
Burlington Northern in 1972. Most of the trail follows
the valley of the Chariton River, which provides a densely
wooded corridor and lots of shade for bicycling in southern Iowa’s hot summers. Near the Chariton end of the
trail is Barber Woods, a county nature preserve in the
Chariton River lowlands that contains a stand of hickory
trees, otherwise rare in the area.
Plans for the 110-mile five-county Central Iowa Loop
trail around Des Moines came closer to reality with the
awarding of a Recreational Trails grant of $796,800 by
the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) to the Polk
County Conservation Board. The IDOT grant will be combined with $265,000 from the Polk County Conservation
Board to make the necessary purchases, most of which
have already been agreed upon. The trail will incorporate
four separate trails in making its loop around Des Moines:
the Chichaqua Valley Trail, the Heart of Iowa Trail, the
Neal Smith Trail (Saylorville Trail) and the Four Mile
feature
Creek Trail. Steve Lekwa, Story County Conservation Director, said, “Story County’s trails aren’t the longest, but
the linked trails being developed will be among the longest in the nation.” The Central Iowa Loop will also interconnect with the national American Discovery Trail, which
will extend from Delaware to California.
Cabins
As springtime spreads across Iowa, many of us begin
to turn our thoughts to the great outdoors. But if you don’t
want to pitch a tent or pull a camper in order to experience
Mother Nature firsthand, consider renting a cabin at one
of Iowa’s county parks.
Managed by the Marion County Conservation Board,
Cordova County Park is just a “stone’s throw away” from
Lake Red Rock - Iowa’s largest body of water - and a
short drive southeast of Des Moines. Seven cabins are
available for year-round rental. The four original cabins
have two bedrooms and sleep seven comfortably. The three
newer cabins have three bedrooms and can sleep up to 10
people. These larger cabins offer all the amenities of the
smaller ones, but also feature electric fireplaces, a game
table, a two-person Jacuzzi-type tub, and even a secondfloor deck. Cordova Park is located on the northwest shore
of Lake Red Rock with fishing access, boat ramps, a nature trail, butterfly garden and picnic areas. The Cordova
Observation Tower is the tallest observation tower in a
Midwest park at 106’ tall.
Harrison County Conservation offers five cabins at
the Willow Lake Recreation Area. This 220-acre multiuse area is located six miles west of Woodbine on Easton
Trail. There are two housekeeping cabins located in the
pine groves with a great view of the lake. Scotch Pine and
White Pine cabins are private, but close enough to each
other for use by large families or gatherings. The Scotch
Pine cabin has two bedrooms and a sleeping loft for 12
people. The White Pine cabin has two bedrooms with a
maximum capacity of eight people. Both cabins have a
full bath, full kitchen, living area with TV/VCR/DVD, and
a 10' covered deck with a gas grill. Recreational opportunities such as a 27-acre fishing lake with boat ramp access, prairie and woodland trails, campground with electricity and a modern shower house, swimming beach, fishing lake, picnic shelter houses, and a playground are provided at Willow Lake. There is also a Nature Encounter
Center with habitat displays and live animals. This park
is a convenient get-away in the heart of the Loess Hills.
More than 25 counties offer seasonal and year round
cabins for visitors to rent. Visit ISAC’s website for a complete listing.
Golf Courses
The Glynns Creek Golf Course in Long Grove,
owned and operated by the Scott County Conservation Board, is a championship par-72 course. The
course was awarded four stars by “Golf Digest’s” best
places to play and Bestgolfcourses.com ranks the
course among the top five public-access/daily-fee
courses in Iowa. Glynns Creek Golf Course is Scott
County Park’s newest recreational facility and opened
in 1991. The course is located just 15 miles north of
downtown Davenport within Scott County Park.
Jester Park Golf Course in Granger opened for
play on July 4, 1971, under Polk County Conservation Board management. “Golf Digest” rated this
course as the 9th best public course in the state for
1996. An 18-hole course and 9-hole par-3 golf course
are offered. The Jester Park Learning and Practice
Facility is a state-of-the-art complex that exists for
those who wish to learn or enhance their golf game.
A teaching professional gives lessons and technique
consultations to all ages. Over five acres of grass tee
area provide plenty of space for hitting at the long
range. The course is located just 30 minutes north of
downtown Des Moines, contiguous to Jester Park.
Proclaimed as one of Iowa’s most challenging
golf courses, Briggs Woods Golf Course has been
owned and operated by the Hamilton County Conservation Board since 1971. From the first tee to the
18th green, this course stretches 6,500 yards and is a
par-72. The course is located two miles south of
Webster City.
There are 11 counties with county-run golf
courses. Visit ISAC’s website for a complete listing.
Conclusion
“I hate to think of how many natural gems would
have been lost without our county conservation system,” says Mark Ackelson, Iowa Natural Heritage
Foundation president. “How many trails would be
unbuilt, public hunting and camping sites unavailable,
or scenic vistas unspoiled without their actions?
Iowa’s CCBs conserve not only our natural resources,
but also our quality of life and economic viability.”
The Iowa County
June 2006
5
capitol comments
Thank You to Legislators
The 2006 legislative session was one of the most successful for county officials in recent years. Many proposals
by ISAC affiliates were enacted, while a number of other pieces
of legislation of concern to county officials were defeated.
The leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives
should be credited with the pace of the session and the cooperation demonstrated by members of their respective caucuses.
The Local Government Committees chaired by Senators
Herman Quirmbach (D-Story) and Doug Shull (R-Warren) in
the Senate and Representative Jim Van Engelenhoven (RMarion) in the House were especially productive. Without
their dedication to local government, many of the important
legislative achievements could not have happened. There are
so many issues and lawmakers to recognize, it is not possible
to name everyone. However, here are some lawmakers and
the notable issues he or she worked on for county officials.
• Rep. Richard Arnold (R-Lucas) - HF 2515-Obstructions in
Roadways, HF 2240-Incapacitated Supervisors, HF 2654Treasurers’ Omnibus
• Rep. Danny Carroll (R-Poweshiek) - Human services and
mental health issues
• Rep. Betty De Boef (R-Keokuk) - SF 2076 and SF 2377Manure Management Plans, SF 2319-Litter Fines
• Rep. Jack Drake (R-Pottawattamie) - SF 2076 and SF 2377Manure Management Plans
• Rep. Jeff Elgin (R-Linn) - HF 2050 and HF 2051-Elections
• Rep. Mary Gaskill (D-Wapello) - HF 2050 and HF 2051Elections, HF 2654-Treasurers’ Omnibus, SF 2264-Recorders/Auditors Technical
• Rep. Polly Granzow (R-Hardin) - SF 2319-Litter Fines,
and human services issues
• Rep. David Heaton (R-Henry) - Human services and mental health issues
• Rep. Lisa Heddens (D-Story) - Human services and mental health issues
• Rep. Lance Horbach (R-Tama) - HF 2697-Prisoner Medical Expenses
• Rep. Libby Jacobs (R-Polk) - HF 2050 and HF 2051-Elections
• Rep. Jeff Kaufmann (R-Cedar) - HF 2351-Eminent Domain, HF 2362-Salvage Vehicle Titles
• Rep. Jim Kurtenbach (R-Story) - HF 2777-TIF Certification
• Rep. Jim Lykam (D-Scott) - HF 2362-Salvage Vehicle Titles
• Rep. Dolores Mertz (D-Kossuth) - SF 2076 and SF 2377Manure Management Plans, SF 2319-Litter Fines
• Rep. Donovan Olson (D-Boone) - HF 2515-Obstructions
in Roadways, HF 2240-Incapacitated Supervisors
• Rep. Dawn Pettingill (D-Benton) - SF 2319-Litter Fines
• Rep. Bill Schickel (R-Cerro Gordo) - HF 2515-Obstructions in Roadways, HF 2240-Incapacitated Supervisors, HF
2362-Salvage Vehicle Titles, SF 2264-Recorders/Auditors
Technical
6
The Iowa County
June 2006
By: John Easter
ISAC Director of
Intergovernmental Affairs
• Rep. Don Shoultz (D-Black Hawk) Property tax issues
• Rep. Mark Smith (D-Marshall) - Human services and mental health issues
• Rep. David Tjepkes (R-Webster) - HF 2177-Subsdivsion
Names, HF 2654-Treasurers’ Omnibus
• Sen. Jeff Angelo (R-Union) - SF 2037-Treasurers’ Omnibus, SF 2411-Local Government Innovation
• Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Johnson) - SF 2319-Litter Fines, and
property tax issues
• Sen. Bob Brunkhorst (R-Bremmer) - HF 2351-Eminent Domain
• Sen. Jeff Danielson (D-Black Hawk) - HF 2050 and HF
2051-Elections, HF 2362-Salvage Vehicle Titles, SF 2411Local Government Innovation
• Sen. Dick Dearden (D-Polk) - HF 2515-Obstructions in
Roadways
• Sen. Tom Hancock (D-Dubuque) - SF 2075-Manure Management Plans
• Sen. Jack Hatch (D-Polk) - Human services and mental
health issues
• Sen. Hubert Houser (R-Pottawattamie) - SF 2075-Manure
Management Plans, SF 2264-Recorders/Auditors Technical
• Sen. David Johnson (R-Osceola) - SF 2076 and SF 2377Manure Management Plans, SF 2319-Litter Fines
• Sen. Keith Kreiman (D-Davis) - HF 2351-Eminent Domain,
SF 2264-Recorders/Auditors Technical
• Sen. Mary Lundby (R-Linn) - HF 2240-Incapacitated Supervisors
• Sen. David Miller (R-Jefferson) - HF 2777-TIF Certification, SF 2351-Eminent Domain, and property tax issues
• Sen. Dave Mulder (R-Sioux) - HF 2177-Subdivision Names
• Sen. John Putney (R-Tama) - HF 2515-Obstructions in
Roadways
• Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D-Story) - HF 2777-TIF Certification, SF 2351-Eminent Domain, SF 2411-Local Government Innovation, and property tax issues
• Sen. Roger Stewart (D-Jackson) - HF 2240-Incapacitated
Supervisors, SF 2264-Recorders/Auditors Technical
• Sen. Doug Shull (R-Warren) - HF 2654-Treasurers’ Omnibus, HF 2713-Construction Bidding Procedures
• Sen. Maggie Tinsman (R-Scott) - Human services and mental health issues
• Sen. Mark Zieman (R-Allamakee) - HF 2050 and HF 2051Elections
Legislative caucus meetings are closed to the public. This is
often where issues detrimental to local interests are stopped. These
votes are every bit as important as votes to pass bills. To all of
those representatives and senators who voted in their caucus
meetings to reflect the views of county officials – thank you.
legal briefs
It’s Time to Focus On
Courthouse Security
By: David Vestal
Security is Lacking
Iowa courthouses are more volatile places now than ever
before. The final report of the 2005 Iowa State Bar Association
committee on courthouse security concluded that Iowa courthouses have an increased potential for violence due to: the expansion of pro se litigation, the increase in domestic violence
and domestic relations cases, the growth in juvenile cases, and
the influence of meth on drug-related criminal prosecutions.
This January, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Louis
Lavorato gave his state of the judiciary speech to the Legislature,
and he talked about the need for courthouse security. He said
two things that I agree with: 1) security in most courthouses is
insufficient; and 2) increasing courthouse security is not just the
counties’ responsibility - the judiciary and the Legislature have
to work with the counties to solve this problem. Lavorato said,
“Let’s face it: most counties outside of Iowa’s urban centers do
not have the financial resources to install and staff sophisticated
security equipment, retrofit old courthouses, or provide deputies
around the clock - nor should counties shoulder this responsibility alone.”
The 2005 Bar Association report came with two core recommendations concerning each of Iowa’s courthouses: 1) each
point of entry should be monitored to prevent the introduction of
weapons; and 2) at each courthouse a sheriff’s deputy or trained
security officer should be present when court is in session.
So the question is, if there is a consensus that courthouse
security is lacking around the state, how do we get where we
need to be? One option the 2005 committee discussed was having a courthouse inspector, like a jail inspector, who would visit
every courthouse and work on improving security. Another option was to have a pot of money and have counties apply for
security grants, which would be handed out based on need. Another option would be to say that there are certain lost-cost items
that every county should do, such as reinforcing the judge’s bench
to make it bullet resistant, and those have to be done within a set
amount of time.
In the end the 2005 Bar Association committee, which I sat
on, recommended none of those things; it just said that the need
is pressing, so it is time for the state and the counties to begin
fixing this problem. But it did say that this cannot be an unfunded state mandate. Here is what the report said: “The Iowa
Legislative and Executive Branches should immediately work
with the Judicial Branch to devise ways to fund courthouse security improvements….Making courthouse safety an unfunded state
mandate is not an option.”
It is time for state and county officials to have a discussion
about the need for courthouse security and how much counties
are willing to spend, because the Legislature is going to be look-
ing to counties to help foot this bill. Counties do have to be part of the solution, which
is only fair. Courthouse security is about
making the courthouses safe for judges and
lawyers. But it is also about making the courthouses safe for the
county employees that work there.
Look at the results of the 2005 courthouse survey that was
included in the Bar Association report; this survey was completed
by clerks of court in each county; some of these answers send up
red flags. For instance:
• Is the number of entrance doors in use reduced to the minimum necessary? No - 33%.
• Are public waiting rooms in the courthouse routinely
searched? No - 62%.
• Is there a security procedures manual for the courthouse?
No - 15%.
• Is responsibility for declaring an emergency clearly fixed?
No - 20%.
• Are there procedures for the emergency evacuation of prisoners from the courtroom? No - 44%.
Note than none of these things would necessarily cost the
county anything, but they are not getting done. The survey asked,
if you have a duress alarm in the courthouse, has it been used
during an actual or suspected emergency in the last five years?
Thirty-five percent of the counties said yes.
So these emergencies and dangerous situations are occurring. In fact, just a few months ago someone who was acting in
a threatening manner was shot and killed by police officers outside the Polk County courthouse. It is not limited to large counties. In 1986, Ralph Davis, a disgruntled resident of Mt. Pleasant, opened fire with a handgun during a city council meeting.
Davis killed Mayor Edward King and wounded two council
members.
The day may come when someone is killed in an Iowa county
courthouse, and then the public is going to begin asking where
the county supervisors were and why sufficient security was not
in place. Even if that does not happen, the Legislature may eventually decide that if a county does not meet minimal security
requirements by a date certain, court will no longer be held there.
For these reasons, I do agree with the Chief Justice that it is time
for a meaningful discussion about strengthening courthouse security throughout the state.
ISAC General Counsel
Parting Ponderable: “In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause
succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to
be a patriot.” - Mark Twain
The Iowa County
June 2006
7
case management
Coming Soon!
A Valuable Resource
In March I had the opportunity to attend a conference in
Boston under the direction of the National Association for the
Dually Diagnosed (NADD). The “dual” refers to persons with
intellectual disability and mental illness. Our citizens with an
intellectual disability are not immune or unable to also have
co-occurring mental illness. The lack of the ability to communicate truly complicates the diagnostic process and the suffering caused by misunderstood mental illness can be exacerbated
by incorrect medications and misguided behavior plans. Case
management’s role as an advocate is clearly needed for these
individuals. Having a single resource to turn to for insight
would be so helpful.
Sorting through the remnants of the interesting sessions I
attended in Boston, I decided to share the following information with you because it will give you a heads-up on an important publication scheduled to come in January 2007 that addresses this very real problem for the dually diagnosed. As I
paraphrase the information given to us, I have a dictionary close
at hand! The conference seemed geared to clinical attendees
and contained very interesting but intellectually challenging
information. This session was no exception. The presenter at
this particular workshop was Robert J. Fletcher, DSW, ACSW,
FAAMR, Chief Editor.
The provisional title of the publication is “Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual for Intellectual Disabilities (DSM-ID).” “Intellectual disabilities” is the newest preferred designation for
persons with mental retardation. The rationale for needing a
DSM-ID included recognition of the limitations of the DSM
and ICD systems for this population. There is diagnostic overshadowing where, due to an intellectual disability, a mental
illness is not recognized. Also, applicability of established diagnostic systems (DSM) is increasingly suspect as the severity
of intellectual disabilities increases. The DSM system ignores
variations based on developmental age and intelligence; the
criteria sets are generic and intended to apply across the developmental course; and the DSM was developed by expert consensus based upon identification of symptoms in typical clients seen in the general clinical population.
Adaptation of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)
will need to include modified criteria where applicable and
include issues related to diagnosis in people with an intellectual disability. The volume will be based on expert consensus
and evidence-based models. Most of the chapters have been
co-authored by a total 45 experts; peer reviews were conducted;
and there is an advisory board and an editorial board. The
evidence-based model included good systematic review and
analysis, randomized controlled study, interventional study,
8
The Iowa County
June 2006
By: Linda Kemp
ISAC Case Management
Specialist
observational studies and expert opinion.
Special issue chapters include an assessment and diagnostic procedure chapter
with special consideration for the diagnostic interview, a checklist of historical data, an assessment of medical factors, and
behavioral phenotypes. Special issue chapters will include the
behavioral phenotype of genetic disorders, including Angelman
Syndrome, Cri-du-Chat Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fragile-X Syndrome, Phenylketonuria, PradeWilli Syndrome, Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome, Smith-Magenis
Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Velocardiofacial Syndrome, and Williams Syndrome. This chapter would be such
a positive inclusion! Imagine having one resource to go to in
order to understand the disorder, the behavior, and the complication of a mental illness. The chapter for special consideration for the diagnostic interview will be so helpful to a clinician unfamiliar with the persons with an intellectual disability.
It is a specialty that is just not widely available, yet profoundly
important to making the proper diagnosis.
An example was shared for the diagnosis of Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (OCD). A chart shows how the criteria
are described in the DSM and there are two additional columns indicating how the criteria are modified for mild to moderate intellectual disability and for severe-profound intellectual disability. Any criteria that requires expression of thoughts
or recognition that a behavior is out of the norm would not fit
the intellectual disability population due to limited cognition
and limited or no communication skills. Some seemingly obsessive behaviors in the intellectual disability population would
not be considered OCD. This publication will help the clinician determine whether the illness of OCD is present and thus
help guide the possible treatment options.
There are two manuals in development: DSM-ID, a clinical and research diagnostic manual (600-700 pages), and DSMID Abridged Version, a quick reference to diagnostic categories and tables of modified criteria (200-300 pages).
This is an historic endeavor and we look forward to final
publication. Dr. Fletcher has indicated the publication target
date as January 2007 and encouraged us to check the NADD
website for updates as 2007 approaches; that site is
www.thenadd.org.
I would also encourage you to explore the NADD website
for useful additions to your library. It has a wealth of educational and training material. While case managers often turn
to the Internet to find information on different syndromes or
disabilities as a useful tool, having material in-house is also a
good investment.
technology center
HDTVs
Putting the Z Into CRM
By: Tammy Norman
By: Robin Harlow
ISAC Technology
Services Coordinator
ISAC Technology
Project Manager
Q: Do you have any information on
the new HDTVs? I was recently told
by a salesperson that my old analog TVs will no longer be able to receive television programs in the near future, is this
true?
Imagine going into your local home improvement store. You need to purchase
some building materials - bag of cement,
lumber and tools. You get your cart and
pick up the cement. But before you can get the lumber, you have
to wait in line and pay for your bag of cement. You then go and
select your lumber, get in line and pay. And finally, you get your
tools, stand in line and pay for the tools. I’m thinking about
halfway through the lumber line, I’ve got better things to do
with my time and run screaming from the store. As a customer, would I go back to that store?
Successful businesses have been able to develop Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) processes that help them build
customer-centered business strategies. These processes encourage customer loyalties by studying the customers’ interactions,
which in turn help the business anticipate and fulfill the customers’ needs.
We can easily apply the example above to e-gov websites.
We can build an e-gov website and offer online services (cheaper
interaction), but if the site is hard or expensive to use, citizens
will prefer to visit (expensive interaction) or call (expensive interaction) the county to do their transactions. For e-gov to be
truly effective, it needs to be linked at the hip with Citizen Relationship Management (ZRM).
Through today’s technology, legacy systems can remain in
place but be accessed to help develop interactive screens and
processes that anticipate what the citizen may want to accomplish. Are they purchasing tags for a boat trailer? If so, do they
want to register the boat at the same time? The benefits of linking the back office systems are numerous. Some examples are:
data can be captured once and reused often; applications, filings,
payments, or other interactions can be simplified; automatic notification (as exampled above) can be made of license expirations; quick detection and prevention of identity theft and fraud
attempts can be enabled; and correlating different transactions
that help identify missing tax revenue.
ZRM holds out the promise of a much more effective, efficient, and simple government at the service of its citizens. There
are several projects started to help counties begin the long road
of anticipating citizens’ needs: define citizen needs; understand
counties’ capacity to meet these needs; and finally how ISAC,
and specifically my position, can assist in making our local government work more efficiently and effectively for our citizens.
These projects and discussions will help us set the foundation in
place to be able to begin applying technology to better serve the
citizen. Next month’s topic: “The Cost of Seeing You.”
A: Here are a few important facts to keep in mind the next
time you go out to purchase a new TV. The salesperson was
correct in the fact that February 17, 2009, is the date that has been
set to no longer allow broadcasts to be analog; instead they must
be in a digital format. The good news is that there has been
money allocated to subsidize converter boxes that would allow
people to view digital broadcasts on an analog TV.
If you decide to go ahead and purchase an HDTV there are a
few things to keep in mind. Even though you purchase an HDTV,
you may not be able to go home and receive all the television
broadcasts in HDTV format. There are a couple of reasons for
this. Currently not all television programs are being broadcast in
the HDTV format. Secondly, your HDTV may not be an “integrated HDTV.” If your TV has a built-in HDTV digital or ATSC
tuner, then you will be able to plug it in and receive those broadcasts that are being sent out in an HDTV format. However, if it is
“HDTV ready” or “HDTV compatible,” you will need to connect a separate tuner or cable/satellite box to view the programs
in an HDTV format. If you purchase an HDTV ready or compatible system, but at the moment you do not opt to go out and
purchase the tuner, you still are able to benefit from your purchase; regular television shows look better on an HDTV. If you
have a DVD player, you will see a major difference viewing a
movie on your new HDTV versus your analog TV. To ensure the
best picture outside of viewing HDTV broadcasts, you need to
purchase a progressive-scan DVD player. Go ahead and spend
the money on a wide-screen TV; you will be much happier in the
long term. Be cautious of PIP (picture-in-picture); this works
well for most people; however, if you receive your programming
via a satellite dish or cable box, you may not be able to take
advantage of this feature.
Website Note: If you have job postings or classified ads that
you would like posted on the ISAC or affiliate websites, please
submit them to me in an electronic format at
tnorman@iowacounties.org. Have a question regarding new technology and would like it addressed in this column? Contact me
at 515-244-7181 ext. 315 or via e-mail at
tnorman@iowacounties.org. Until next month, keep clicking!
The Iowa County
June 2006
9
by the numbers
health check
Older Iowans
Women’s Health Risks
By: Jay Syverson
By: Sandy Longfellow
ISAC Fiscal Analyst
ISAC Administrative Assistant
This year the end-of-session negotiations that routinely punctuate the closing
days of the Iowa legislative session included
a tax cut for Iowa seniors. That spurred me
to look into some of the statistics related to the cohort that the
Iowa Department of Elder Affairs calls “Older Iowans.”
First, let’s dispel the notion that senior citizens are leaving
our state in droves and heading for the sunny climates of Florida
and the Southwest. According to the State Data Center of Iowa,
97.3% of Iowans age 65 and over either stayed in their own homes
or moved within the state between 1995 and 2000. That percentage is well above the average retention rate of 90.8% for the state
as a whole. It is true that from 2000 to 2004, 77 counties have
seen a decrease in their over 65 population; but the data seem to
indicate that those declines are due more to natural causes, shall
we say, and migration within our state rather than migration beyond Iowa’s borders.
As of July 1, 2004, there are about 433,000 Iowans age 65
and over, representing nearly 15% of Iowa’s total population.
Both numbers are projected to increase by 50% by the year 2030.
According to the Census Bureau, in 24 years there will be 663,000
Iowans age 65 and over, representing over 22% of the population. Iowa currently ranks 5th nationally in terms of proportion of
population age 65 and over. The four states with higher senior
populations are Florida (17.1%), Pennsylvania (15.5%), West
Virginia (15.3%) and North Dakota (14.8%). Because women
have longer average life spans, a significant majority (59% - nearly
enough to pass a bond resolution!) of Iowa’s over 65 population
is female; that number jumps to 70% for the over 85 population.
As for individual counties, 22 have senior populations that
make up more than 20% of their total populations. Many of
those counties are in the western part of Iowa, including Monona
and Audubon counties, which lead the way with more than 23%
of their populations consisting of seniors. The other end of the
spectrum reads like a laundry list of Iowa’s most populous counties; the nine largest counties (each with populations above 80,000)
have senior populations less than 15% of their total. Johnson and
Dallas counties have the smallest proportion of seniors at 7.8%
and 9.3%, respectively. The landscape will change dramatically
by 2030, when projections estimate that a whopping 84 counties
will have senior populations above 20% of their total. On an
interesting note, the town of Beaconsfield (in Ringgold County),
which the Iowa League of Cities lists as the smallest town in
Iowa, has a senior population of more than 90%; as of 2000, 10
of its 11 residents were age 65 and over.
While looking at the Mayo Clinic
website, I found some information on the
top causes of death in women in the United
States. Most of the time I try to dwell on
the positive, but by looking at the risks we can make positive
changes. Here is the list in order of greatest risk for women: 1)
heart disease; 2) cancer; 3) stroke; 4) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 5) Alzheimer’s disease; 6) diabetes; 7) accidents; 8) pneumonia and influenza.
My first surprise was that heart disease was a higher risk
than cancer. Part of the reason for that is the publicity breast
cancer gets. In fact, heart disease is responsible for more deaths
in women than all forms of cancer combined. The common
belief that heart disease affects mostly men is a dangerous myth.
Secondly, the preventative steps for these ailments are
amazingly similar. One of the most important is getting regular preventative screenings. This would include blood pressure checks, cholesterol checks and blood sugar checks periodically. Yearly physicals and regular mammograms are also
essential.
Another preventative step is not to smoke. This is crucial
in the risk factors for heart disease, cancer, stroke and pulmonary diseases. Because pneumonia and influenza affect the
lungs, smoking increases the danger of these as well.
Exercise has to be one of the more important preventative
actions a person can take for any of these risk factors. Exercise helps us to keep our weight at a good level and it strengthens our bodies. Exercise helps our heart, removes stress, and
strengthens our lungs.
Some other common-sense steps can help the accident risk.
Motor vehicle accidents were responsible for more than a third
of all accidental deaths in women. Pay attention to wearing
your seat belt, keep within the speed limit, don’t drive while
sleepy or under the influence of alcohol, and don’t talk on your
cell phone while driving. For that matter, don’t eat, put on
make up, read a book or engage in other activities that you
wouldn’t usually relate to doing while driving.
The bottom line is to be concerned about health risks but
don’t panic. Do whatever you can do to lead a healthy lifestyle,
including eating healthy foods, staying physically active, getting regular checkups and paying attention to your environment. Such measures can reduce your risk factors and help
you lead a long and healthy life.
10
The Iowa County
June 2006
ISAC brief
Happy Birthday ISAC
By: Jerri Noboa
ISAC Meetings Administrator
This year ISAC celebrates its 35th
birthday. On June 30, 1971, SF 37 was
signed by Governor Robert D. Ray establishing in the Code of Iowa the Iowa State
Association of Counties.
The road to what is now ISAC has come a long way. In
1988 I started compiling the history of ISAC from old ledgers, meeting minutes and handwritten notes. In a 1932 ledger I found that on February 11 the first official meeting of
the 5th District County Officers Association was held in
Keosauqua. At this point only the Iowa County Engineers
Association, Iowa State Association of County Supervisors
and the Iowa State Association of County Auditors were considered members. They scheduled quarterly meetings in February, May, August and November. Their first meeting included discussion of maintenance contract on roads, tax problems for supervisors, the economy and recommendation of
certain modifications to the Bergman Road Law.
Shades of the Depression seemed to hang over the group
at its August 1932 meeting as the agenda included supervision of county road-workers and whether they put in a full
day’s work; elimination of township trustees; a 10% reduction of salaries of all public employees, from township trustees to the Governor; recommendation that counties buy in
larger quantities with supervisors as the purchasing agents; a
two-year moratorium on the purchase of new machinery; redistricting of the state into 50 counties; abolishment of primary law and returning the state to the convention and caucus
system; removal of the assessor’s office (giving the work to
the county auditor); reduction of the number of official papers; and elimination of publishing the proceedings of the
board of supervisors.
At the February 1933 meeting the officers opposed fulltime supervisors and discussed changing the name of supervisors to commissioners. They also discussed making county
engineer appointments optional and establishing more business experience and minimum qualifications for engineers;
clarified the duties of county officials; and talked about hiring a business manager for counties. It was at this time that a
publication called The Iowa County Officer was presented to
the members with a subscription price of $1.00.
In the 1934 meetings, members expressed concern that
county government might be abolished by the Legislature if
there was no “air-tight organization for the things we believe
in,” so discussion of an Iowa State Association of Counties
Officers is noted.
In 1935 the Iowa County Officer reported on the national
meeting of county officers in Chicago. At that year’s meeting
much discussion hinged around the use of Work Projects Administration (WPA) help and its conflict with the Bergman Road Law
in Iowa. About this time women were given more freedom and
privileges, and Rachel Wormhoundt, Henry County Recorder,
served as chair of the programming committee.
The minutes from 1968 show that the Utah County Association Constitution and By-Laws would be used as a model
for an association and this is when I find the first mention
they were working to legalize ISAC.
At the October 1970 Fall School changes in the Articles
of Incorporation were brought before the full membership to
legalize the Iowa State Association of Counties. At this time
the affiliate members were Iowa County Engineers Association, Iowa State Association of County Supervisors, Iowa State
Association of County Auditors, Iowa State County Treasurers Association, Iowa County Recorders Association, Iowa
State Association of Assessors, County Clerks of Court Association, Home Stewards & Matrons Association (later to become county care facilities), and Unintegrated County Relief
Directors Association (later to become the Iowa County Community Services Association).
In August 1971 ISAC put out an ad seeking an executive
director whose responsibilities were to direct and set up an organization that would meet the needs of the counties. In October
the board appointed Donald Cleveland to the post of executive
director-secretary. ISAC set up its first office at East 5th Street in
Des Moines and hired a secretary to assist Cleveland. Also in
this year, the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association became an ISAC affiliate. In 1974 the Iowa County Attorneys Association was approved as an ISAC affiliate.
John Torbert took over as executive director in 1981 and
there were 11 employees. The ISAC office was located at
East 4th Street in Des Moines. In 1987 the Civil Defense Directors changed its name to Iowa Emergency Management
Directors Association and the County Conservation Directors
Association of Iowa became an ISAC affiliate. In 1989 the
Environmental Health Workers became an affiliate.
Paul Coates became executive director in 1987 with a total
of 14 employees. In 1991 the County Public Health Nurses
Association became an affiliate and the Environmental Health
Workers changed their name to Iowa Environmental Health
Specialists. In 1993 the Unintegrated County Relief Directors Association changed its name to Iowa County Community Services Association.
The current ISAC executive director, William Peterson, has
held the position since 1994 and we currently have 18 employees. Since Peterson became executive director the County Zoning Officials became an affiliate in 2001 and the Iowa Counties
Information Technology Organization joined in 2002. ISAC now
has a total of 15 affiliates. ISAC moved to its current office
location at SW 7th Street in Des Moines in 2002.
I did a little research as to what was going on in the world
35 years ago: Walt Disney World opened; the first e-mail was
sent; the Pittsburg Pirates won the World Series; “The Sonny
and Cher Comedy Hour” and “All in the Family” premiered;
and the price of gas was $0.36/gallon!
The Iowa County
June 2006
11
ISAC brief
Reflections of an Intern
By: John Harrenstein
2006 ISAC Legislative Intern
After the last day of the legislative session I returned to the Statehouse to collect
a few items. On my way out of the Law
Library I stopped to say goodbye to one of the librarians. Our
conversation meandered to a discussion of the number of bills
that had been filed during the session. She quickly pointed out
to me the difference between a copy of the Acts passed in 1934
compared to a more recent year; the difference in size was
considerable. A quick glance revealed that much more legislation is making its way through the Iowa General Assembly
now than in 1934.
This observation led me to ask the question, “Is Iowa attempting to simply legislate its problems away?” Approximately 1,941 bills, study bills and resolutions were filed this
year during the legislative session. Of course, not all proposed
bills were passed: some were duplicates; and who knows how
some of the others made it into the mix. However, typically a
law is not introduced unless someone has an interest in it becoming a reality.
Does the volume of these interests distract legislators from
concentrating on greater issues? Perhaps if comprehensive
language was drafted aimed toward solving the big problems,
the smaller issues contained in some 1,941 proposed bills would
find their solutions before state action is needed or proposed.
Critics may state that the Iowa of 1934 was a simpler place
than the Iowa of 2006. The complexities of what government
is now asked to do by its citizens have increased, as has the
number of issues facing our state. Today the state bureaucracy
is larger, and as technology advances so must state government to maintain services.
Legislators also have larger staff resources to draw from
than in 1934. It could be argued that with their new resources,
legislators have simply become more efficient and are able to
focus on many issues rather than just a few. However, as one
lobbyist pointed out to me, “The Code is so large right now a
lot of time is spent just clarifying or adjusting it rather than
addressing the bigger problems.”
So, what is the answer? Specifically, what role do counties play in my contention that too many laws are being passed?
Because counties are a level of government, much of their legislation will by nature focus on adjusting existing laws to fit
the changing demands of their constituencies. However, counties also should play a role in the larger issues. Innovation at
the local level aimed at solving the large issues facing Iowa is
a must. Hopefully, the results of this innovation will reduce
the number of laws proposed by satisfying the concerns of dif-
12
The Iowa County
June 2006
ferent groups before they even consider a legislative solution.
It then becomes the responsibility of the legislators to give local officials the flexibility to be innovative. It was once said
that with faith the size of a mustard seed, one could move mountains. Perhaps some of the mountains facing the state of Iowa
could be addressed with faith in county officials.
John Harrenstein served as legislative intern for ISAC
during the 2006 Legislative Session. A recent graduate of UNI,
he will begin graduate studies at the University of Kansas in
June.
New Regulations May Affect
Commercial Septic Pumper
Inspections
In 2005 the Iowa Legislature passed HF 834, a bill relating to the inspection of commercial septic tank pumpers. A
feeling that new regulations were needed regarding the land
application of human septage provided much of the energy
behind this bill. This year the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) drafted rules and regulations regarding these issues.
Counties are expected to play a role in the inspection process.
The proposed rules are now before the legislative Administrative Rules Review Committee.
HF 834 gives the DNR exclusive responsibility for adopting standards and issuing licenses for commercial septic tank
pumpers. However, a county board of health shall enforce the
standards and licensing requirements established by the DNR.
How will counties complete this new requirement?
The answer may be in the form of two new funds created
by HF 834 and a contracting procedure set up by the DNR. A
septic management fund and a toilet unit fund were created in
HF 834. These funds will be filled with annual license and
renewal fees paid by commercial septic pumpers. A rough
estimate by the DNR anticipates $80,000 - $90,000 will be
deposited into these two funds annually.
The intent is to distribute the funds to counties by contracting with a county board of health. While no contracts
have been drafted yet, the contract will give authority for inspecting land application sites, records and equipment. The
contract will also identify the amount of money counties will
be given for performing each inspection.
With only 221 commercial septic pumpers in the state,
not all counties may be approached to enter into contracts. If a
county chooses not to enter into the contract with the DNR, an
adjoining county may be asked to perform the inspections.
While the new rules have not yet been approved by the Administrative Rules Review Committee, action is likely to occur throughout the summer.
counties in the spotlight
Rural County Engineer
of the Year
Royce J. Fichtner,
Marshall County Engineer,
has been selected as the 2005
Rural County Engineer of the
Year by the National Association of County Engineers
(NACE).
In receiving this award, From left to right: Royce Fichtner,
NACE 2005 Rural County Engineer of
his citation read “for the ap- the Year; Randy Cole, President of
plication of efficient engi- NACE; and Joe Ruffer, NACE 2005
neering management prin- Urban County Engineer of the Year.
ciples and standards of economic design, construction, maintenance and operations of public works facilities.” Fichtner has worked in Iowa counties for
over 38 years, serving in his current position since 1978. He has
been a member of NACE since 1972, serving on the board of
directors as NACE’s south central vice-president, secretary-treasurer, president-elect and as the NACE president in 2003-2004.
Top Counties in Iowa
Six counties in Iowa made the list of the top 200 counties in
the nation to live, named by ‘Progressive Farmer’ magazine.
Bremer County ranks 57th, Guthrie County 62nd, Grundy County
65th, Dickinson County 80th, Madison County 109th and Dallas
County 193rd. The magazine compiled statistics on cost of living, crime rates, air quality, access to health care, education and
leisure activities. (Taken from the Stuart Herald, March 30)
Population Trends
Dallas County is still the fastest-growing county in Iowa,
according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Dallas County grew by 4.7% from July 1, 2004 to July 1, 2005.
Trends for local counties show generally stable population figures, though estimates are down somewhat. Overall, Iowa’s population has grown by 1.4% since the 2000 census to 2,966,334
people. Thirty-five counties have gained population since 2000
and 64 counties have lost residents. The 10 fastest growing counties in the last five years are metropolitan counties. Slightly more
than half of Iowa’s residents, 51%, live in just 12 counties, all of
them in metropolitan areas except for Cerro Gordo County. (Taken
from the Shell Rock Valley Times, March 23)
Tighter Security
Dubuque County will implement a tighter security plan for
the courthouse starting July 1 that includes a card-reader system
for courthouse employees and metal detectors for court visitors.
Only those with privileged access will be able to enter judges’
chambers, where additional card-reader systems will be installed.
The security measures echo the recommendations made late last
year by the Iowa State Bar Association Courthouse Security Task
Force. The security project has been paid for in large part by an
approximately $114,000 federal grant. (Taken from the Telegraph
Herald, March 31)
County Attorney Honored
Victims of some of Iowa’s most notorious crimes honored
Johnson County Attorney J. Patrick White as a compassionate
law enforcement official and pioneer in establishing victim rights
laws in Iowa. On April 24 the Johnson County Crime Victim
Advisory Board recognized White, who is retiring January 1 after six terms in office, as part of its kickoff of National Crime
Victims Rights Week. White is credited as the driving force behind such victims rights provisions as mandatory restitution in
homicide cases, victim impact statements and growing use of
victim witness coordinators. White was the prosecutor in the
case of Jetseta Gage, a 10 year-old raped and murdered by Roger
Paul Bentley last year in rural Johnson County. Jetseta’s mother,
Trena, said, “It takes a unique person like Pat White to try the
cases he does. He goes the extra mile to understand the impact of
a crime on a victim.” She said for a year leading up to Bentley’s
trial, White kept a photograph of Jetseta on his desk and to this
day makes himself available to the family. (Taken from the Iowa
City Press Citizen, April 25)
Community Trustee of the Year
The Leadership for Five Seasons recently named Lu Barron,
Vice Chair of the Linn County Board of Supervisors, the 2006
Community Trustee of the Year. A Community Trustee is a Leadership for Five Seasons graduate who represents the general public, acts with genuine care and competence to serve and lead the
community, and is a person actively committed to hold the community in trust, to both serve and lead it.
Leadership for Five Seasons is a program sponsored by the
Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and designed to prepare emerging and existing leaders in the Cedar Rapids area to be
community trustees. The goal of the program is to supply the
community with informed, skilled leaders willing to serve as active volunteers.
The Iowa County
June 2006
13
counties in the spotlight
County Fairs in Iowa
June
7-11 - Linn County, Hawkeye Downs Fair, Cedar Rapids
14-18 - Wapello County Regional Fair, Eldon
16-18 - Allamakee County, Big Four Fair, Postville
20-25 - Mighty Howard County Fair, Cresco
21-25 - Butler County Fair, Allison
21-25 - Worth County Fair, Northwood
July
4-8 - Winneshiek County Fair, Decorah
5-9 - Lee County Fair, Donnellson
5-10 - Calhoun County Expo, Rockwell City
5-10 - Greater Jefferson County Fair, Fairfield
6-9 - Cherokee County Fair, Cherokee
6-11 - Wright County District Junior Fair, Eagle Grove
7-13 - Linn County Fair, Central City
9-17 - Shelby County Fair, Harlan
10-15 - Henry County Fair, Mount Pleasant
10-15 - Marshall - Central Iowa Fair, Marshalltown
10-16 - Delaware County 4-H & FFA Fair, Manchester
11-15 - Chickasaw 4-H Achievement Show, Nashua
11-16 - Keokuk County Expo, Sigourney
11-17 - Greene County Fair, Jefferson
12-16 - Bigger and Better Allamakee County Fair, Waukon
12-16 - Cedar County Fair, Tipton
12-16 - Davis County Fair, Bloomfield
12-16 - Franklin County Fair, Hampton
12-16 - Mitchell County Fair, Osage
12-16 - Monona County Fair, Onawa
12-17 - Ringgold County Fair, Mount Ayr
12-17 - Van Buren County Fair, Keosauqua
12-17 - Webster County Fair, Fort Dodge
13-16 - Dallas County Fair, Adel
13-16 - Iowa County Fair, Marengo
13-16 - Taylor County Fair, Bedford
13-16 - Wapello County 4-H Expo, Ottumwa
13-16 - Winnebago County Fair, Thompson
13-17 - Pocahontas County Fair, Pocahontas
14-16 - Keokuk County Fair, What Cheer
14-20 - Jasper County Fair, Colfax
14-20 - Marion County Fair, Knoxville
15 & 17-20 - Sioux County Youth Fair, Sioux Center
15 & 19-24 - Poweshiek County Fair, Grinnell
15-20 - Adams County 4-H & Youth Fair, Corning
16-21 - Washington County Fair, Washington
17-22 - Appanoose County Fair, Centerville
17-23 - Grundy County Fair, Grundy Center
18-23 - Harrison County Fair, Missouri Valley
18-23 - Ida County Fair, Ida Grove
18-23 - Tama County Fair, Gladbrook
19-23 - Benton County Fair, Vinton
19-23 - Boone County Fair, Boone
19-23 - Buchanan County Fair, Independence
19-23 - Crawford County Fair, Denison
19-23 - Floyd County Ag. & Industry Days, Charles City
14
The Iowa County
June 2006
19-23 - Hardin County Fair, Eldora
19-23 - Great Jones County Fair, Monticello
19-23 - Madison County Livestock Fair, Winterset
19-23 - Montgomery County Fair, Red Oak
19-23 - Muscatine County Fair, West Liberty
19-24 - Carroll County Fair, Coon Rapids
19-24 - Decatur County 4-H & FFA Fair, Leon
19-24 - Hancock County Fair, Britt
19-24 - Polk County 4-H & FFA Fair, Des Moines
19-24 - Pottawattamie County Fair, Avoca
20-23 - Buena Vista County Fair, Alta
20-23 - Clinton County 4-H Club Show, DeWitt
20-24 - Clarke County 4-H Fair, Osceola
20-24 - Fremont County Fair, Sidney
20-24 - Monroe County 4-H & FFA Fair, Albia
20-25 - Humboldt County Fair, Humboldt
21-24 - Palo Alto County 4-H Fair, Emmetsburg
21-26 - Story County 4-H Fair, Nevada
22-26 - Mills County Fair, Malvern
22-27 - Union County Fair, Afton
22-27 - O’Brien County Fair, Primghar
24-27 - Johnson County 4-H & FFA Fair, Iowa City
24-27 - Lyon County Fair, Rock Rapids
24-29 - Louisa County Fair, Columbus Junction
25-29 - Fayette County Fair, West Union
25-30 - Dubuque County Fair, Dubuque
25-30 - Hamilton County Fair, Webster City
25-30 - Mahaska County, Southern Iowa Fair, Oskaloosa
25-30 - Page County Fair, Clarinda
25-31 - Wayne County Fair, Corydon
26-30 - Adair County Fair, Greenfield
26-30 - Black Hawk County 4-H & FFA Fair, Waterloo
26-30 - Cerro Gordo County, North Iowa Fair, Mason City
26-30 - Jackson County Fair, Maquoketa
26-30 - Plymouth County Fair, Le Mars
26-31 - Audubon County Fair, Audubon
26-31 - Pottawattamie County, WestFair, Council Bluffs
26-31 - Warren County Fair, Indianola
26-Aug. 1 - Des Moines County Fair, Burlington
27-29 - Osceola County Livestock Show, Sibley
27-30 - Sac County Fair, Sac City
29-Aug. 3 - Lucas County 4-H Achievement Show, Chariton
29-Aug. 4 - Cass County Fair, Atlantic
30-Aug. 3 - Dickinson County Fair, Spirit Lake
August
1-6 - Bremer County Fair, Waverly
1-6 - Scott County, Mississippi Valley Fair, Davenport
1-7 - Clayton County Fair, National
2-6 - Kossuth County Fair, Algona
2-6 - Woodbury County Fair, Moville
10-13 - Cherokee County, Marcus Community Fair, Marcus
31-Sept. 4 - Chickasaw County Big Four Fair, Nashua
31-Sept. 4 - Guthrie County Fair, Guthrie Center
September
9-17 - Clay County Fair, Spencer
NACo news
Will County Employees Be
NACo Golf Fundraiser
Financially Ready to Retire?
The Women of NACo (WON) invite you to a golf outing/
By: Lisa Cole, NACo Enterprise Services Director
The answer to this question has three possibilities: yes,
probably and maybe. A study released this month by the Nationwide Retirement Education Institute (REI) examines how
county employees are preparing financially for their retirement.
In Trends in Public Sector Retirement Plans, the institute notes
that historically most county employees have relied on employer-funded benefits for most, if not all, of their retirement
income.
This mindset is changing given several factors that include
the increasing costs of health care and younger ages at retirement, combined with longer life expectancies and lifestyle expectations. In addition, potential changes to Social Security,
Medicare and pension benefits also cause uncertainties.
To help deal with these issues, the Trends report notes that
employers are focusing on increasing employee plan participation in voluntary supplemental plans, like a Section 457 Deferred Compensation program, by simplifying the enrollment
and investment selection process. In addition, both publicand private-sector employers are interested in helping their
employees manage their assets and income streams through
their retirements.
The Trends report updates a 2004 study called America’s
Retirement Voice. The positive trends include:
• an increase in the number of public sector employees participating in their employer’s deferred compensation plan
from 30% in 2003 to 34% in 2005;
• average account balances increased 12% and annual deferrals by 8%;
• the difference between the average public and private sector deferral is narrowing;
• improvements in investment diversification are dramatic
as the percentage of participants investing in three or more
asset classes has increased from 19% in 2000 to 39% in
2005; and
• although public sector employees lean towards more conservative investments, the use of asset allocation funds is
significantly increasing; this is particularly true among
younger participants (ages 18 to 35) since three in 10 invest in a lifestyle or lifecycle fund as their single investment choice, up from one in 10 in 2003.
The Institute notes that while public employees are making progress with their savings, there are still concerns about
retirement readiness. Even though the participation rates have
increased in the last two years, more than 65% of employees
are not taking advantage of supplemental retirement savings
through a 457 plan.
fundraiser, prior to the NACo Annual Conference, on August
3. The outing will be held at the George W. Dunne National
Golf Course in Oak Forest, IL. The fee to participate is $75
per person and includes a lunch from 1pm-2pm with golf following. This event is open to all NACo delegates and their
guests. For more information contact Christina Crayton at
ccrayton@naco.org or visit www.naco.org to sign-up for this
event.
WON’s purpose is to improve and enhance the quality
and effectiveness of women political leaders in their counties,
communities, districts and within NACo by offering a platform to encourage, promote and support elected and appointed
officials.
in memory
Otto Ewoldt
Former Scott County Supervisor
Otto Ewoldt, 72, died April 17 at the
Kahl Home for the Aged and Infirm in
Davenport. Ewoldt, of LeClaire, was a
15-year member of the board of supervisors and held various elected positions
in his community before that. He suffered a debilitating stroke in April 2004
and resigned from the county board
about a year later.
In a career that spanned more than
50 years, Ewoldt served on LeClaire’s
city council and school board, fire department, ambulance service and as curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum. Ewoldt also
worked with community organizations, which recently included the Scott County Watershed Cabinet, Generations Area
Agency on Aging board of directors and the executive board
for the statewide County Rate Information System, a committee of ISAC.
In his professional life, Ewoldt owned and operated Ewoldt’s
Appliance & TV in LeClaire. Ewoldt and his wife, Delores, were
married more than 53 years and raised five children.
The Iowa County
June 2006
15
communication
Making Do With You!
There’s an old expression that perhaps you have heard. It
goes like this, “Let’s make do with what we have.” Indeed, life
often comes down to “making do” with the current resources that
are available. That often includes making do with you. You have
been blessed with certain talents, motivation and much potential.
You are here for a short while—the average American only lives
about 700,000 hours!
What are you doing to enrich your life and the lives of the
people with whom your path intersects? Below are some key
ideas for you. You can live your life any way you wish, but you
can only live it once. Carry on, follow through and it’s about
making do with you!
Face reality squarely - Indeed, there are only three
choices in relation to any situation. These choices are live with it
(accept it), lobby (work to change it) or leave (“ease on down the
road”). There are many, many situations that involve your ability to cope (live with it). If you choose to lobby, do so if you
think you can bring about some sort of a positive outcome. If
you choose to leave, don’t burn bridges (only burn bridges if you
are in the demolition business). By facing situations squarely,
you choose to happily make do with you.
16
The Iowa County
June 2006
Quit worrying so much - Worry is negative goal setting.
When you catch yourself thinking about your thinking, you’ve
got to nix the negativity, the nonsense and the worry. Make this
negative self-talk into an ugly-looking, nasty and imagined animal. Set the imagined animal on your shoulder. Proceed to knock
it from your shoulder and on to the floor!
Then force your reality to change by substituting uplifting
thoughts. Plug in notions of optimism, success and beauty. As
Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman said, “Successful people are out of touch
with reality in a benign way.” It has also been said that your
thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your destiny. Ultimately, making do with you is about controlling your
destiny by controlling your thoughts.
Put a meaningful “spin” on daily routines - Bear in
mind that each day is not just another day - it’s another chance!
Make do with small things, buy some flowers, throw confetti,
slow dance, slow down, write a love note, make a pizza, eat the
cookie dough, get involved, buy those shoes and believe in wrinkle
cream. Above all, don’t bottle up your passion. Passionate folks
(like you), make do and hold the world together.
Copyright 2002 by Mark Towers, 816-578-4516,
www.speakoutseminars.com
communication
miscellaneous
How to Deliver a Superb
Presentation
Project Update:
Online 28E Project
The ability to stand on your feet and deliver a superb presentation is a most desired skill in today’s marketplace. This short
piece is about the “nuts and bolts” of standing and delivering a
presentation that listeners will find both educational and enjoyable.
The project to transform Iowa’s 28E agreements into a
searchable online database is nearing completion. The project
has three components: creation of the searchable 28E database
accessible from the Secretary of State’s website, a survey of all
local governments with 28E agreements filed between 1993
and 2004, and several field studies of 28E agreements for different types of government services.
The survey analysis and field studies are now available
for public access at http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/28e/
home.html. On this site, you can access management reports
on:
• economic development,
• emergency management,
• fire services,
• city-school recreation,
• traffic patrol,
• decategorization programs,
• mental health,
• annexations, and
• wastewater treatment.
The searchable 28E database is tentatively scheduled for
launch on July 1. As soon as it is available to the public, the
28E research team at ISU will send email notification to ISAC
to activate the listservs for various county officials.
“It has been a huge task to convert the paper files to digital, downloadable formats,” said professor and co-project leader
Kurt Thurmaier, Public Policy & Administration Program at
Iowa State University.
“Creating the database so that it can be searched in meaningful ways required many hours of data entry and many more
hours of programming computer codes,” added Dr. Yu-Che
Chen, co-project leader at ISU who was responsible for the
database components of the project.
Thurmaier noted that reports are also being prepared on
planning, housing, and library services. “These reports are rich
with information obtained from interviews with local officials
who manage the 28E agreements. We are finding out what
makes 28E agreements successful and what pitfalls to avoid.”
The ISU website provides 5-6 page executive summaries as
well as a full report on each public service.
Questions and comments on the ISU website and the 28E
project should be directed to Professor Kurt Thurmaier, 515294-7207 or kthur@iastate.edu.
Study Your Audience - Do your homework by asking lots of
questions of potential members beforehand. When you speak to
people’s exact needs, you will succeed.
Cut The Extraneous - As you prepare your remarks, focus on
the essential. Franklin Roosevelt said, “Be brief, be sincere and
be seated.” Focus on the major points and follow the “tried and
true” formula for giving a good talk - tell them what you are
going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you have
told them.
Inject Passion - Speech coaches urge presenters to “notch up”
their energy level 20%. There are three problems with most presentations; they are boring, boring and boring. Care about your
topic and get excited about it - even if it is very dry.
Tell a Story - Recently, a luncheon speaker “droned on” about
statistics for nearly 20 minutes. Suddenly, he shifted to a story.
Listeners sat more upright in their seats and paid attention. A
story that is short, positive and has a moral is one of your most
powerful teaching tools. A story enables you to amplify, clarify
and engage (ACE).
Use Timely and “Squeaky-Clean” Humor - Here are some
insights in regard to humor. Audience members truly want you
to succeed. By injecting humor, you greatly enhance your chances
of doing so. Laughter engages the entire body. When people are
laughing, they are more apt to remember what you said. You
don’t have to be a comedian, consider Andy Rooney. His short
spots on “Sixty Minutes” are not about uproarious laughter. They
make us chuckle/smile and this is just fine.
Get Visual - It has been estimated that nearly 70% of all learning is visual! Use slides, props, workbooks, etc. If a picture is
worth a thousand words, continuously strive to get more innovative with your visuals.
End Your Presentation With Pride and Enthusiasm - As a
mentor once said, “Yank ‘em in and throw ‘em out.” She further
explained, “Start strong and end strong.”
Copyright 2002 by Mark Towers, 816-578-4516,
www.speakoutseminars.com
The Iowa County
June 2006
17
miscellaneous
An Iowa Success Story
ICAP Celebrates 20th Anniversary
In late 1986 (100 years after the state of Iowa joined the
United States) four Iowa public entities chose to join a fledgling program designed to offer excellent casualty coverages at
stable cost and made possible by Iowa legislation.
The program is the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool
(ICAP) and those four entities are the cities of Red Oak,
Dubuque and Princeton and the Iowa Municipalities Workers
Compensation Association. All four are still ICAP members.
The mid-1980s was a time of drastically increasing insurance premium costs and decreasing coverages - a “hard” market in the insurance vernacular. In some cases, insurance companies were withdrawing from the public entity arena. Iowa
city representatives looked to the League of Iowa Municipalities (now the Iowa League of Cities) for assistance. The pooling concept was fairly new; the first public entity pool had
been formed in Texas in 1974.
The Iowa Legislature responded to the cities’ concerns by
passing enabling legislation (Iowa Code §670.7). The insurance industry developed marketing strategies to attack the new
organization. Cries that the pooling theory could not work and
that ICAP would soon suffer financial difficulties went unheeded by its founding members, and by the end of 1987 twentyfour entities joined their ranks. ICAP grew stronger both financially and in number of members.
At first ICAP was envisioned as a risk-sharing mechanism
for Iowa cities. However, in 1987 the ICAP Board of Directors approved membership for Iowa counties. Seven counties
joined by the end of that year; today 65 Iowa counties are ICAP
members.
During the first 10 years ICAP grew to 247 members and
just over $7 million in member equity. At the end of 2005 520
public entities were members with contributions of well over
$20 million. In addition, more than $11 million has been returned to long-term members since the surplus distribution program began in 1993.
Since the pool’s inception in 1986, over 20,000 claims valued at over $40 million have been handled. ICAP’s members
have over $20 million in assets. ICAP has become what was
envisioned in 1986 - a financially stable program designed specifically for Iowa public entities whose members manage its
operations via a board of directors elected by the membership.
The ICAP Board closely monitors all of ICAP’s administrative services, including marketing, underwriting, loss control and claims, as well as invested assets, to ensure the continued financial integrity of the program and the future protection
of its members. The service providers are professionals dedicated to ICAP’s success.
18
The Iowa County
June 2006
ICAP’s success can also be attributed to its members, who
recognize the benefits of membership and their responsibilities to their organization (for instance, compliance to loss control recommendations). The program is sponsored by both the
Iowa League of Cities (since 1986) and ISAC (since 2001).
ICAP’s 20th anniversary is an excellent opportunity to
again recognize those four entities that entered a “brave new
world” in 1986 and all those who followed. ICAP is the largest, most successful public entity risk sharing pool in the state.
ICAP Historical Highlights
August 1, 1986 - City of Red Oak becomes first member.
June 30, 1987 - Adams County joins as first county member.
1989 - First ICAP Update published.
- Contributions surpass $2 million.
- Law Enforcement Liability and Property Coverages
added.
January 1, 1991 - City of Knoxville joins as 100th member.
1993 - First surplus distribution to long-term members.
1997 - ICAP is awarded first Governmental Finance Officers
Association Certificate of Achievement for excellence
in financial reporting.
- Claims and Loss Control services initiated by Public
Entity Risk Services of Iowa.
1998 - ICAP offers first of two three-year liability contribution guarantees.
- Member surplus distribution totals more than $1 million for the first time.
- The ICAP website unveiled (www.ICAPIowa.com).
1999 - Membership exceeds 300.
2000 - ICAP adopts new logo.
2001 - Record membership growth in one year (70 new members).
- ICAP website available for online anniversary and midterm processing.
2002 - Record new contribution growth (over $2 million new
contribution).
2003 - ICAP website available for board election processes.
2004 - Membership exceeds 500 and member hotline initiated.
Advertisers Index
Aerial Services, Inc.
19
Aero-Metric, Inc.
22
Altorfer & Ziegler CAT
20
Anderson-Bogert Engineers & Surveyors 23
Barker Lemar Engineering Consultants
21
Calhoun-Burns and Associates, Inc.
19
Cost Advisory Services, Inc.
19
French-Reneker-Associates, Inc.
19
Horizons, Inc.
19
IPAIT
2
JEO Consulting Group, Inc.
22
Jerico Services, Inc.
21
Kuehl & Payer, Ltd.
21
Metropolitan State University
16
Ruan Securities Corporation
23
Snyder & Associates
21
Solutions, Inc.
22
The Sidwell Company
24
Trileaf Corporation
22
Serving our clients since 1952 with land surveying and design of
airports, highways, railroads, streets, wastewater & water systems.
1501 South Main • P.O. Box 135 • Fairfield, Iowa 52556
Phone: 641-472-5145
Fax 641-472-2653
email@french-reneker.com
www.french-reneker.com
Aerial Services, Inc.
Mapping Your World® since 1967
Full-service Geospatial Solutions
•
•
•
•
•
•
Aerial Photography & Orthos
GIS Services
3D Mapping
Advanced 3D Visualization & Obliques
Ground-based LiDAR
Aerial LiDAR
319-277-0436
877-274-4447
www.AerialServicesInc.com
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Please support our advertisers. If you are interested in advertising in The Iowa County
please contact Denise Obrecht at 515-2447181 or dobrecht@iowacounties.org. Advertising information is also available on ISAC’s
website (www.iowacounties.org) under ‘Corporate Opportunities.’
The Iowa County
June 2006
19
BETTER CONTROL, BETTER CYCLE TIMES.
SMOOTH OPERATOR.
CAT® G-SERIES WHEEL LOADERS…
TECHNOLOGY TO HELP MAKE EVERY
OPERATOR BETTER.
The G-Series Wheel Loaders from Caterpillar® offer size,
power and comfort throughout the product line. Built using
state-of-the-art computer modeling, the intelligent design of the
G-Series delivers more visibility and comfort in the cab, leading
to better cycle times and more productivity.
The rugged and dependable Cat power train allows the
G-Series to offer better rim pull and more powerful loader
hydraulics, as well.
Add available features such as a reversing fan to
remove dust, the Cat Machine Security System
and the unmatched support from Ziegler CAT
and the Cat G-Series Wheel Loaders
are easily your best choice. Contact us
today about the G-Series Wheel Loaders.
zieglercat.com
1500 Ziegler Drive N.W.
Altoona, IA 50009
515.957.3800
800.342.7002
©2006 Caterpillar Inc.
3366 5th Ave. S.
Ft. Dodge, IA 50501
515.576.3161
800.342.1848
11490 265th St.
(Hwy. 18 West)
Mason City, IA 50401
641.423.7240
800.342.1849
308 North Lawler
Postville, IA 52162
563.864.7461
800.526.0889
5300 Harbor Drive
Sioux City, IA 51111
712.252.4401
800.342.1847
CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos and “Caterpillar Yellow,” as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are
trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
Spec equipment with ease at www.GovBidSpec.com
20
The Iowa County
June 2006
JERICO SERVICES, INC.
Dust Control Chemicals
Base Stabilization
Salt Wetting Equipment Sand Pile Mixing Ice Control Chemicals
Liquidow® Calcium Chloride
Indianola, IA
Weeping Water, NE
(800)397-3977
(800)422-4820
www
.jericoser
vices
.com
www.jericoser
.jericoservices
vices.com
Time is Running Out!
Register for ISAC’s
Scholarship Golf Fundraiser!
July 19 Jester Park Golf Course,
Polk County
Golf registration forms available at
www.iowacounties.org
The Iowa County
June 2006
21
Engineering Architecture Surveying Planning
www.jeo.com
724 Simon Avenue, Carroll, IA 51401
712.792.9711
Quote of the Month:
UNDERGROUND AND ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANKS
CORRECTIVE ACTION SITE MONITORING TIER 3
REMEDIATION SECONDARY CONTAINMENT SPCC
PHASE I SITE ASSESSMENTS
•
•
TRILEAF CORPORATION
616 BILLY SUNDAY ROAD, SUITE 100
AMES, IOWA 50010
(515) 233-4282
WWW.TRILEAF.COM
22
The Iowa County
June 2006
•
•
Laughing at our mistakes can
lengthen our own life. Laughing at
someone else’s can shorten it.
- Cullen Hightower
calendar
JUNE
6-7
7
7-8
8
9
12-15
13
14
14-16
15
15
21-23
22
23
CCMS Supervisors Training
(Hilton Garden Inn, Des Moines/Urbandale)
CCMS Board of Directors (ISAC Office)
Performance Measurement Conference
(Holiday Inn, Mason City)
District IV Workshop (Harrah’s, Council Bluffs)
District V Workshop
(Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa)
County Attorneys Summer Conference
(Arnolds Park)
CRIS Cost Report
(Kirkwood College, Cedar Rapids)
District VI Workshop
(Grand River Center, Dubuque)
Information Technology Annual Conference
(Mason City)
CCMS NE Support Group
(East Bremer Diner, Waverly)
CRIS Cost Report
(Hilton Garden Inn, Des Moines/Urbandale)
CCMS Fundamentals
(Hilton Garden Inn, Des Moines/Urbandale)
District II Workshop
(Waldorf College, Forest City)
District III Workshop
(Buena Vista University, Storm Lake)
28
District I Workshop
(Holiday Inn Airport, Des Moines)
JULY
3-4
11
12
13
19
20
25-28
ISAC Office Closed
CCMS Admnistrators
(Hilton Garden Inn, Des Moines/Urbandale)
Engineers Midyear Conference Golf Outing
(Coldwater Golf Links, Ames)
Engineers Midyear Conference
(Gateway Center, Ames)
ISAC Scholarship Golf Fundraiser
(Jester Park Golf Course, Granger)
ISAC Board of Directors
(Hilton Garden Inn, Des Moines/Urbandale)
Auditors Conference
(Stoney Creek Inn, Johnston)
AUGUST
2
CRIS Board (ISAC Office)
2-4
Recorders Conference
(Arrowwood Resort, Okoboji)
3-4
Supervisors Executive Board (Burlington)
4-8
NACo Annual Conference (Chicago, IL)
9-11
CCMS Annual Conference
(Sheraton, West Des Moines)
Please visit ISAC’s online calendar of events at www.iowacounties.org and click on ‘Upcoming Events.’ A listing of all the
meetings scheduled thus far in 2006, agendas and meeting notices can be found on ISAC’s website. A majority of ISAC’s
meetings offer online registration. If you have any questions about the meetings listed above, please contact Jerri Noboa at (515)
244-7181 or jnoboa@iowacounties.org.
“Serving Iowa Communities for over 15 years”
¾ Underwriting and Financial Consulting ½
¾ Long-term Capital Improvement Planning ½
County Engineering Services
¾ Construction interim financing at competitive rates ½
¾ Official Statement and Annual Disclosure preparation ½
¾ Serving over 200 Iowa municipalities ½
—————————
Tom Mehl
John Geist
Chip Schultz
Jeffrey Heil
www.ruansecurities.com
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
Roads, Highways & Culverts
Bridge Inspection
Bridge and Pavement Management
GIS Implementation
Surveying
Transportation Grant Applications
Construction Management
Master Planning
The Iowa County
June 2006
23
24
The Iowa County
June 2006